A Prayer to Find Joy in the Mundane
By Emily Rose Massey
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13, NASB).
We welcomed our fourth child last month, and although I have been a mom for almost a decade, with each new child we have added to our family, I am reminded quickly how much I need God’s grace to make it through each day. Even though I thrive on tackling tasks ahead of me so I can check them off my to-do list (and there are so many these days), I wrestle with the monotony of it and keeping a good attitude in front of my children. I have found myself starting my day in a pretty sour mood and dreading another day of the same routine.
Realizing that is not Christ-honoring at all, I told my husband the other day that one thing I want my children to remember about me is how much I laughed and how joyful I was no matter what. That isn’t my natural bent- I am more introspective and melancholy most of the time. Even though I am incredibly thankful to be a mother, the fruit of the spirit that seems to be a struggle for me to hang on to in this season of my life is the fruit of joy. Instead of allowing my circumstances and personality to become excuses for my lack of joyful outlook and demeanor, I must look to Christ and trust that He will fill me with joy and hope even in the boring and monotonous routines of life. For me, that is finding joy in serving my family.
In his letter to the Romans, in chapter 15, the Apostle Paul speaks of self-denial on behalf of others, reminding them (and us) that Christ was a servant to His people and to the Gentiles. This truth should cause us to glorify God and rejoice no matter what as we seek to serve others and share the gospel with hope and joy. Paul prays in Romans 15:13:
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13, NASB).
The scriptures encourage us and give us strength to persevere when we find ourselves discouraged, bored, or tempted to complain and grumble. As God’s children, we are not to grumble. We must remember that, ultimately, grumbling is complaining against the sovereign God of the universe and saying He isn’t good, which is sinful. When we complain or have a sour, ungrateful attitude, we should repent, reset our mind by thinking about things above, and rejoice and give thanks to God for His graciousness and goodness towards us. There are new mercies available to us every single morning. Perhaps it would be a beneficial habit to create a daily list of things that you are grateful for to help cultivate a heart of contentment and joy. Despite hardships and inconveniences in our lives and relationships, we are called to rejoice and find our joy in Christ alone and all that He has done for us. It all comes down to the attitude and posture of our hearts, which God is shaping to look more like Jesus every day. The God of hope has given us Himself through the Holy Spirit, and the fruit of the Spirit are all available to us to more we yield to the Spirit instead of giving into our flesh- that wars against the Spirit daily (Galatians 5:17). We can call upon the name of the Lord to cry out for help when we are tempted to complain and walk in ungratefulness, and He will empower us with His Spirit. He is our ever-present help in times of need and is faithful to strengthen us with His grace and fill us up with His peace, hope, and joy, even in the mundane.
Let’s pray:
Father God,
Although it is easy to find excuses for the reasons for my behavior and mood, I know Your Word is very clear about the posture of our heart and attitude, especially when it comes to circumstances that are difficult, stressful, or even mundane and boring. You care about the condition of our hearts and the attitude that we exude because, as Christ's followers, we are to look and behave differently than the world. People are watching all the time how we react when we are struggling under the weight of the cares of life. I ask that You would, first and foremost, give me a hunger for more of Your Word. I know that is where my mind is renewed; The Word helps me cultivate the fruit of the Spirit and walk in obedience with abundant joy and hope as I seek to serve You as I serve others above myself. Help me to guard my heart and avoid grumbling; I want to find joy in all circumstances, even in my monotonous routine. I fix my gaze upon the God of hope and trust that You will fill my heart with the overflow of joy and hope as I learn to follow Christ and His ways. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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